Cardiff boss Malky Mackay set to be axed as owner Vincent Tan asks for resignation

Malky Mackay has been told to resign or face being sacked by Cardiff Ciy owner Vincent Tan [GETTY]

The relationship between Mackay and Tan has been fractured since promotion to the top flight in April.

It is understood Tan contacted Mackay, who has made it clear he has no intention of resigning, to outline a number of grievances with the Scot on areas such as signings and transfer budgets - a subject which the two clashed on only this week.

Mackay's time at the club looks close to ending despite a Cardiff spokesman stating: "The club is not party to any letter sent from one person to another."

Despite leading the Bluebirds to the Premier League for the first time in their history in only his second season in charge his future became uncertain when head of recruitment Ian Moody - now of Crystal Palace - was removed from his position in October.

A perceived £15m overspend of the £35m transfer budget in the summer is Tan's main grievance and Mackay's desire to add three more players in the upcoming January transfer window is said to have upset the Malaysian businessman.

Cardiff broke their transfer record three times during the summer with the additions of Andreas Cornelius for £7.5m, Steven Caulker for £8m and Gary Medel for £11m.

Tan claims that £50m was spent on transfers including adds-on, however Mackay has since denied this insisting that £35m was the budget and the owner had no complaints about rising add-on fees to any of those deals.